I did it-I made a pastry flaky crust! Now, I'm still not sure how it tastes, the pie is for Tuesday for my guests coming over to play cribbage, but I did it! It took a lot of preparation too and weeks of thinking about it. First, I decided I needed a bigger working area, my cutting boards were too small. So I hunted around thrift stores, until I found this huge wooden cutting board, that was used for massive hams or holiday turkeys in the past. It's about 24 x 36. Still not big enough for me to work on-I need a lot of space, when I am deliberating about the pie. Now some people would say, just use the counter, but I have a tile counter and that would just not work. So the cutting board will have to work for now. A pie maker friend told me to only use this cutting board for pies-and to only wash it with water, never any type of soap. She said this will help build up the oils in the board for even better future flakier pie crusts. Also, I purchased a marble rolling pin that weighs about 5 pounds-pretty rolling pin. And the rule above, applies to the rolling pin too, only wash with water, to build up the oils. I bought more flour and sugar last week-I was out and I looked at them on the counter for about a week. Then finally, I decided to make banana bread, because I had over-ripe bananas and after that I said I will make this crust. I did and it was a double crust (another story), with lattice strips. And I made this crust with an electric mixer! So easy! Recipe to follow. The filling of this crust is not important, the feature today is the actual crust making. Though I did use canned apple pie filling for a deep-dish pie. I didn't want the filling to overwhelm me and then I wouldn't make the crust. Little steps. So after making the pie dough with the electric mixer, I made it into 2 balls. I rolled out the first ball and it rolled out so easy on the first round. I was able to fold it in half and place right in the pie pan. I was so excited. I filled the pie pan with apple pie filling. Now the second pie crust to roll out, once again, as pretty as any picture. Nice, big circle of dough and I decided to get fancy and do lattice strips. Well, each strip broke at least once in my efforts to place it on the pie. But broken strips and all, my pie looks pretty good. The taste test comes on Tuesday night.
Pastry for Double-Crust Pie
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup shortening
6 tablespoons cold water
In a mixing bowl, combine flour and the salt, add shortening. Beat with an exlectric mixer on low speed till pieces are the size of small peas. Add 6 tbsp. cold water (all at once), beat at low speed just til dough clings together (15 to 20 seconds).
Take the dough out and make into 2 balls, put one aside. Then on a lightly floured board and floured rolling pin, roll dough from center to edges, forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Fold dough in half, place in pie tin. Poke holes with fork all over. Place canned apple pie filling inside. Take remaining ball of pie dough and repeat, placing whole pie dough on top, crimping edges and baking at 375 F for about 55 minutes or until browned on top. I don't reccommend lattice strips for a beginner like me, but it does look prettier. Also, I forgot to mention, using the whole pie crust on top, you need to make vents to let the "whatever" out when baking (air-I don't know)-just a couple of straight cuts on the top of the dough.
I set my pie on a pizza pan, in case of any overflow of filling. There wasn't any, but next time there may be.
This recipe was courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book.
I will let you know how it tastes in a few days. If I wasn't going out of town for a few days, I would be making more pie crusts! Happy Baking
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